A fair deal for drivers of diesel vehicles

I joined fellow MPs in signing a letter to Chancellor Philip Hammond saying there are better ways of tackling air pollution that do not punish drivers.

The letter sent by Dover MP Charlie Elphicke, chair of the FairFuelUK parliamentary group, calls for a fair replacement scheme that encourages the adoption of electric cars. I am backing this campaign to make sure drivers of diesel vehicles get a fair deal – not higher taxes

There are fears local authorities will copy a revenue raising scheme proposed by Westminster City Council to charge diesel vehicles 50% more to park.

I believe there are better ways of tackling air pollution that do not punish drivers. The letter argues that local transport authorities should be required to tackle highly polluting buses and taxis.

The letter also suggests that the Government should support drivers in places like Sutton, Cheam and Worcester Park to be part of the change to cleaner fuels and a more successful, greener economy.

It’s clear older diesel engine vehicles are polluting and action is needed to make sure we have clean air in places like Sutton, Cheam and Worcester Park.

Yet demonising drivers of diesel cars by hitting them with higher taxes or parking charges is not the answer. It smacks of opportunistic greed and turning motorists into cash cows.

That’s why I’m backing this campaign – to get a fairer deal for drivers in Sutton, Cheam and Worcester Park.

3 Comments

Pam Ayris
on 10/02/2017 at 8:39 am

I believe the government encouraged drivers to buy diesel cars as it was supposed to be better. You can’t turn round and say oh sorry got it wrong now you have to pay. Stop the parents sitting outside Cheam fields with their engines running waiting to go into school. That would help the atmosphere.

So if Sutton will not be levying additional charges to diesel drivers, what alternative steps are being taken to increase revenue?
The SuttonsFuture page on the council website says “So far the council has saved £43m from the annual budget, £11m of this has been saved with your help since we launched Sutton’s Future in July 2014. We now have £31m more to save (as of September 2015).”
All the links off that page to further information are broken, but I gather that central government is cutting another approx £10m from us in the coming financial year.
If it’s a choice between having extra taxes for my diesel car, vs even more social care services being cut and increasing classroom sizes, I’ll take the extra taxes.